Mutant/mutation
In the mutants the endogenous pkg gene has been replaced by the orthologous pkg gene of P. falciparum. In addition the mutant expresses GFP under the constitutive eef1a promoter

Protein (function)
Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinases (PKGs) are the major mediators of the cGMP signal transduction pathway and regulate a variety of physiological effects. PKG is is a serinethreonine kinase that transfers the γ-phosphate of ATP, in a cGMP-dependent manner, to a variety of substrate proteins.

Evidence has been presented that in Plasmodium species that activation of PKG is critically required to regulate cytosolic Ca2+ levels. PKG emerges as a universal regulator that controls ookinete gliding, gametocyte activation, and schizont rupture.

Phenotype
Phenotype analyses indicate that PfPKG can functionally complement PbPKG in asexual blood stages of Pb^pfpkg parasites, as well as in gametocyte development and male gametogenesis, replacement of the endogenous gene with PfPKG leads to a decreased conversion into ookinete stages, reduced oocyst production and no detectable sporozoites causing a block of parasite transmission in the mosquito.

Additional information
The mutant can be useful for in vivo screening future generations of cyclic GMPdependent protein kinase inhibitors and allowing to overcome any species-specific differences in the enzyme primary sequence that would influence in vivo efficacy in the rodent model.

Other mutants
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